


Seven of Swords

by idiosyncraticWordsmith (literaryAspirant)



Series: Destiny Tarot [1]
Category: Destiny (Video Games)
Genre: A Hunter is too full of himself to actually engage in Tactics, Action, Drabble, Gen, Sabotage, Short One Shot, Showing Off
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-16
Updated: 2020-07-16
Packaged: 2021-03-05 01:48:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,094
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25316332
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/literaryAspirant/pseuds/idiosyncraticWordsmith
Summary: "Theft, cunning, treachery, deception, avoiding direct confrontation."A Guardian keeps the attention of a Cabal base's garrison as his partner deals with the Red Legion in subtler ways...First in a series of short tarot-inspired one-shots.
Series: Destiny Tarot [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1833724
Kudos: 4





	Seven of Swords

“Status?” The Hunter asked, wall-running as Cabal ordinance crashed in his wake.

“Almost there,” the Warlock reported over the comms.

“You were ‘almost there’ the last time I asked,” the Hunter complained, jumping off the wall to avoid a Psion’s Headhunter shot.

With a gust of Light he propelled himself with another jump, twirling to build momentum as he tossed a fan of knives into a group of Legionnaires. One knife sank into a skull, the other two landed in the shoulders. The Solar Light scorched the targets until they fell, their bodies buckling under the singe. The Hunter shoved one more bout of force behind him, correcting his trajectory as he landed on the ground.

“You asked me ten seconds ago,” the Warlock reminded.

“Ten seconds is a lot of moving,” the Hunter said, dashing forward as the Colossus readied its railgun. Sliding beneath the giant soldier’s legs, the Hunter unloaded a sidearm into its back, then twirled back onto his feet in time to stick a knife into the massive back. With a heaving stomp, the Colossus blew him back, and as he soared through the air he used the altitude to line up his scout rifle’s sights on the Psions targeting him with their own snipers. By the time he had to Jump to ease his landing, three Psions were missing their heads.

“Maybe for those of us who pack our gear full of servos and joint micro-hydraulics,” the Warlock argued. “Some of us are a little more versatile.”

“Don’t need versatility,” the Hunter said, rolling behind cover as the Colossus launched its missiles towards him. “They can’t kill what they can’t hit.”

“Whatever. I’m here,” the Warlock said. “Just keep them busy while I work. And don’t be afraid to actually leave that courtyard. You’re here to distract them, you don’t have to actually fight them. Put those mobility enhancers to use.”

A transport ship floated over head, joined by two others in short order. Three entire squads arrived, bringing two dozen additional contacts to reinforce the dozen that were still standing, including the Colossus. The Hunter sighed.

“Well, I definitely have their attention,” he said as he took out a machine gun and started loading it.

“I can tell. It’s like a ghost town in here.”

“I don’t think Ghosts have towns,” the Hunter quipped as he clamped the brace down on his gun and pulled the bolt back. “Anyway, I’m about to burn up all my Heavy, so don’t take too long.”

Just as a few Legionnaires began to flank him, supported by a Phalanx, the Hunter took a few steps back, then, with a short running start, leaped over his cover, launched himself into the air, and rained machine fire down onto the Cabal below. Half of the reinforcements collapsed under the widespread hail of lead, and as the gun’s hammer clicked on an empty chamber, the Hunter tossed it aside and threw another fan of blades into a nearby group, putting the three of them down as he took a hard landing on the far side of the courtyard.

That was when he took a railgun round to the face.

His Ghost revived him behind cover.

“Lost your momentum on that landing,” it pointed out helpfully. “Remember to roll.”

“Noted,” the Hunter grunted.

“Maybe we should try leaving this area? Make them give chase?”

“No way,” the Hunter said. “The party’s right here.”

“Alright, then… I recovered your machine gun, by the way,” his Ghost told him. “However, I’m out of Heavy synth.”

The railgun fire picked back up as the Colossus opened fire on his position, suppressing him as the remaining Cabal moved to flank.

“Any news?” The Hunter asked.

“Almost done,” the Warlock said. “Few more seconds.”

The Hunter groaned. “Wasn’t this supposed to be a small skirmish?”

“You’re the one who decided to capture half the base’s attention and stay in one courtyard.”

The Hunter took a deep breath, and felt his Light churn within him. “I’m about to make it the whole base.”

“What?”

The Hunter internally calculated how to position himself, then prepared for a leap.

“Get the ship ready,” he told his Ghost. “Once our pal is done we’re going to want to exfiltrate very, very quickly.”

The Hunter rushed forward, once more forcing himself as high into the air as possible, until he was vaulting over the Colossus. He could see it beginning to initiate its missile strike.

His Light surged out, coating him in solar fire. He twirled, collecting that fire in his hands as it coalesced into blades of pure Light in his knuckles and around his body. Snapping out his limbs and releasing all his momentum into a single throw, he sent the Blade Barrage crashing down like a meteor shower onto the Colossus. With a dozen knives of volatile Light stabbing into it, melting through its armor plating and searing into its flesh, the Colossus roared in pain. The wailing continued before being drowned out by explosions as the Hunter landed on his feet behind the collapsing, scorched form of the Colossus.

Panting, the Hunter stood up straight, and glanced around at the frightened Legionnaires surrounding him. He could hear them grunting into their comms, no doubt elevating the base to maximum alert and bringing in as much backup as the place had to offer.

Within seconds, the courtyard was flooded by Phalanxes and Incendiors, led by especially big Centurions. There was a lot of them, and there was no doubt more were on their way.

And then the lights went off. All of the lights—including those on the doors, indicating their automatic machinery was shut down. The base wasn’t just disabled, it was totally inert. Explosions sounded as sensitive machinery overloaded without automated systems keeping them in check.

“Done,” the Warlock said. “We’re out of here.”

The Hunter smiled under his mask at the Legion. “Ghost?”

“Ship is coming around now.”

As the reinforcements began to open fire, the Hunter leaped over their ordinance, flashed a rude gesture, and then transmatted away.

“Man,” the Hunter sighed as he settled into his cockpit. “I thought you said this would be easy.”

“I assumed you would distract them in a more… intelligent way,” the Warlock said. “You know. Running around the base. Making them chase you. Guerrilla tactics.”

“That’s way less fun than turning their base into a little mini-Prison of Elders.”

“If you enjoyed it then enjoy it. Don’t complain that it was a hard fight.”

“You’ll find that I’m capable of doing both.”


End file.
